••Ocean Eyes•• Thomas Shelby

Hands on

Nice big chapter coming your way!

Once again the days were drifting by slowly. I had continued to sleep in Tommy's bed, finding it much warmer than my own...but of course, that wasn't my only reason. This also meant that Tommy would come home earlier, by earlier I mean just past midnight, so he would catch me before I fell asleep.

He would walk through the door, he wouldn't talk about business, he would remove his clothes, placing his gun on the table next to us and then he would slip into bed next to me.

I could tell what type of day he had had by how he held me, sometimes he would smile and stroke my face gently, other nights he would hold me silently, gripping my body to his as if I could vanish any moment.

These nights we didn't speak much, he would tell me he loved me, he would kiss me senseless and then, when he thought I was asleep I sometimes heard him cry softly and tell me he was sorry for what he had done that day. I mentioned this to Polly and she told me not to tell him I knew

"It would upset him to think you knew Tessa, best leave him to it."

I agreed with her, it seemed like in those moments it was like he was confessing his sins, and then he could sleep.

Tonight Tommy came in with a smile, something had gone right today.

"Sorry I haven't been around today." He said taking his coat off.

I placed my book on the table and sat up. "It's alright, I went shopping for some new gloves, Polly said we ha some extra money this month."

"That we do. Did you get some?"

"No, the ones I had seen had already gone. But they said they will have more soon."

He smiled back at me widely and reached into his coat. He took out a small black box tied with a ribbon.

"Here." He said walking to sit next to me.

I opened the box and there were the black gloves with the bows that I had been looking at. I breathed out and looked up at him, I think he might have been smiling more than I was.

"Oh Tommy, thank you."

I leaned forwards and kissed him softly.

"Would you like to go and look at horses on Sunday? We are going to go and buy a new one for the races."

"Yes!" I said immediately.

He laughed and climbed into bed beside me, then he went quiet.

"I found Polly's son."

I looked over at him in shock. "Where?"

"Living in the country, I've given him our address if he want to make contact."

"Have you told Polly?"

"Yes, that's what all the shouting was about this afternoon."

"I hope he does come to see her." I whispered.

"He will, I could see it in his eyes."

I smiled and lay down my eyes beginning to feel heavy. After a few moments I heard to sound of Tommy's gun being placed on the bedside table and soon I was enveloped in his embrace.

"When are we reopening the Garrison again?" I asked sleepily.

"Tomorrow." He replied before kissing my hair. "There is going to be a big party. And after that, I'm going to begin our expansion Into London." He went silent for a few moments. "And then I'm going to look at buying a new house, I have ones for Pol and Ada lined up, but I thought..." once again he fell silent.